Newman to Karalundi

After getting fuel we were on our way before 8.30. Our destination for the night, Karalundi. An uneventful 4 1/2 hours of travel, with relatively flat vistas, but clearly we’re approaching some serious wild flower country. A few different varieties are starting to bloom along the roadside, but as yet there hasn’t been any wow! factor displays. The best are yet to come….

We’ve by- passed Karalundi several times before. This time we thought we’d call in and check it out. Rick, true to the two signs behind the counter, gave us a warm welcome and checked us in. With WA being so busy this season it was like a breath of fresh air to be greeted warmly without the tired, jaded reception that’s becoming usual.

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Later in the day I was talking to the Kez (Rick and Kez run the caravan park). Kez was most informative when asked about the history of Karalundi. I hope I remember this all correctly. The place first opened in 1954 as a Seventh Day Adventist Mission for aboriginal children., and was closed approximately 20 years later. With government funding it again opened in 1987, this time as a boarding school for aboriginal children. The school provides education for children from primary through to secondary school, with a religious based (Seventh Day Adventist )curriculum. If I remember correctly the number of children currently boarding at the school is 37.

I’m not sure when the caravan park was added. It’s small, with power and water for approximately 20 vans, and a large unpowered area for many more. I gather It is slowly being developed and extended. I hope it doesn’t get too big, it’s perfect as it is. The ablutions are clean with roomy cubicles, a shower curtain to stop your clean clothes getting wet, and lots of hooks. The camp kitchen is more than adequate, with two big barbecues each with a hood, and much more. Someone had lamb cutlets sizzling under the hood of one when I looked, yum! Everything in the kitchen was spotless including the barbecues, and I know how hard it is to keep a barbecue with a hood clean. Two on site chalets are available, a one bedroomed unit that will sleep three (queen bed, and pull out single sofa bed), and a two bedroom chalet that sleeps five (queen room, two single beds in next bedroom, and a sofa bed). Both chalets have an ensuite. I didn’t see inside the chalets, but I’m sure they’ll have that same clean, homeliness that’s apparent wherever you look. A sense of pride is evident throughout.

We spent the afternoon giving the caravan a good clean, I think I have managed to get most of the red dust out. With clean sheets, towels, and the floor clean and free of dust and grit, I slept soundly overnight. I don’t know about you, but if my house, or caravan starts to feel grungy, I feel grungy too. Paul rolled out the awning and gave that a good scrub too.

There’s a cafe on site, as well as a few basic supplies for campers. From all of the WIKI reviews the Angus beef burgers are up there with the best. We purchased two yummy vanilla slices for our afternoon tea, and ordered two beef burgers for dinner, which Rick and his two children, Riley and Ali, personally delivered to our caravan. They were absolutely delicious. We’d spied a communal pit earlier in the day so we wandered over for the evening to join the other travellers. It’s always nice to sit around a fire pit and swap a few yarns and travel tips with fellow travellers.

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We’ve left the hot weather behind now, so I’ve stowed my summer clothes under the bed, and hung up some warmer clothing in the wardrobe. We’ll be home early next week, so the washing can wait till we get home, and I think this will be the final big clean for this trip while on the road. Much as we love getting away on big road trips, it’s always just as exciting to get home again. But we have a few wildflowers to see first…..